Above: Samoa

By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Lucia Sustainable Development Minister Dr James Fletcher will be visiting Samoa for the upcoming third International UN Small Island Developing States Conference.

Fletcher’s visit will be financed by the government of Taiwan.

The conference aims to determine how much progress has been made since the Barbados Programme of Action in 1994, an initiative which outlined the framework of actions in support of small island states around the world.

“For Saint Lucia, it’s important because the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia is the one who, in the quasi CARICOM cabinet, has lead responsibility for sustainable development and climate change,” Fletcher said. “Much of what we will be discussing in Samoa revolves around sustainable development and climate change issues. Saint Lucia been very fortunate to be playing a lead role in a lot of the negotiations.”

Fletcher will be joined by technical staff from his Ministry, which also includes the portfolios of Energy, Science and Technology.

The conference will be held from Sep. 1 to 4.